'Smoking Guns - Illustrating the Sixties' recommended in Harpers Bazaar by Frances Hedges.
'The post-war years in London were a time of celebration that brought a joyous resurgence of artistic creativity, epitomised by the success of the illustrators whose vibrant imagery appeared in books, adverts and magazines. A new exhibition, ‘Smoking Guns: Illustrating the Sixties’, pays tribute to their talent and imagination.
Held at the newly opened Lever Gallery in London’s Clerkenwell, the show presents more than 50 illustrations by artists including Michael Johnson, Nicola Simbari, Gianetto Coppola and Harry Zelinski. These are shown alongside photographs of 1960s London by the likes of Enzo Ragazzini. Together, the works paint a picture of a city bursting with creative energy.
The exhibition focuses on an era when, in many ways, print media were at their zenith, reaching a wider audience than ever before. In particular, recently launched colour magazines enticed readers with their artistic ingenuity and raised people’s aspirations in the wake of wartime austerity.
The illustrators who were commissioned to design work for such publications made a vital contribution to this thriving sector.
As Didier Madoc-Jones, the co-founder of Lever Gallery, explained: “Anyone with an interest in understanding the birth of cool will love this exhibition.”'
